Doug Ford one of 3 Canadian premiers with approval rate under 35 per cent, poll suggests

Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks during a press conference in Milton, Ont., on Friday, March 8, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Support for Ontario Premier Doug Ford appears to have remained steady over the last three months, however his approval ratings remain significantly lower than when he was re-elected in 2022.

According to an Angus Reid poll released Monday, Ford’s approval sits at about 34 per cent among respondents.

This is the same approval rate reported in December 2023, after a bump in the polls following a dip in support around September.

When Ford was re-elected in June 2022, his approval rate was at about 41 per cent.

“Ford and his Progressive Conservatives will hope that getting it done will help to boost his stagnant personal approval rate, which hasn’t exceeded its current 34 per cent mark since September 2022,” the poll says.

There also appears to be some tension between the Ford government and the Conservative Party led by Pierre Poillivre, the poll notes, which may or may not help him in the polls.

Ford is among three premiers who have less than a 40 per cent approval rating in Canada.

The only two premiers with less support, according to the poll, is Quebec Premier Francois Legault and New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs.

A separate poll by Liaison Strategies also released Monday suggests a similar level of support, with 34 per cent of respondents saying they would vote for the Progressive Conservatives if an election were held today.

The provincial Liberal Party received 24 per cent of the support, while 16 per cent of respondents said they would vote for the Ontario New Democratic Party. About 17 per cent of respondents were undecided.

Methodology

The online survey of 4,550 Canadians was conducted between Feb. 28 and March 6. The Ontario margin of error is plus or minus three per cent.